Sparkle on Substack Claire Venus

"I like to have a plan, but remaining flexible to respond to what my audience is enjoying,"—

Earlier this year I caught up with the wonderful over at Slow Scottish Stories. I connected with Molly early on my Substack journey and have read her pieces almost every week. She has a weekly posting schedule where she explores themes of slow, frugal living, Scottish highland life and reading for pleasure. She has a wonderful tone of invitation to her readers and it’s been a joy to watch her stick to her boundaries and grow joyfully here.
Molly has an audience of over 50k on her YouTube channel and if you pop over there you’ll soon see why. Molly’s content and videos give you the permission to exhale, to slow down, to know you will be held by her words, stories and visuals.
In her own words; “Slow Scottish Stories is a publication designed to help you slow down and celebrate everything that make’s you YOU”.
Molly is a full time content creator, living in a Tiny Home, nestled in the Scottish Highlands.
A slow living fanatic and proof that, if you really want to, you can reject the hustle culture and live the life YOU desire.
Molly's Substack is a breath of fresh air in a noisy world. I love her take on slow living, especially living in her tiny home in the Scottish Highlands! 🤍 Simple & Calm
Molly entered the digital world with a passion for creating content that resonated with her audience.
Initially, she utilised Instagram as a platform to showcase her lifestyle and thoughts, but as she sought to focus more on her writing, she realised a shift was necessary. In 2021, Molly repositioned her Instagram to specifically highlight her blog, which proved to be a significant turning point as her followers rapidly increased.
Embracing the momentum, Molly expanded her online presence in the spring of 2022 by launching a YouTube channel, allowing her to engage with her audience through a different medium. She then managed a trifecta of platforms: her original blog, her rebranded Instagram, and her fresh YouTube presence, juggling content creation across all three.
However, by August 2022, Molly recognised that her dedication to Instagram was impeding her ability to write—the craft she held dearest. Balancing a full-time job alongside her online endeavours only amplified this challenge, leading to a decision to reallocate her time and energy. She made the bold move to depart from Instagram, a choice that allowed her to revive her blog after weeks, even months, of inactivity.
In the same month she stepped back from Instagram, Molly launched her Substack, a subscription-based platform perfect for nurturing her first love of writing without the intense demands of daily social media engagement.
Though she bid farewell to Instagram, she maintained her YouTube channel, balancing her passion for writing with visual storytelling for her growing audience.
Molly's journey reflects a creator mindful of her time, dedicated to her craft, and adaptive to the changing landscapes of online content creation. She’s a Substack ‘bestseller’ with over 100 paid subscribers to her publication.
"My Substack and particularly my members will be my priority going forwards. And that's mostly linked back to the fact that I've always thought long term writing is my main passion. I think it's probably underestimated, at least I underestimated how much time it takes just to respond to comments.
And I found already quite a lot, because I'm like, oh, these people are paying now, they need me to respond to them."


Molly online;
Website - https://www.hippyhighlandliving.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@hippyhighlandliving
Etsy shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SlowScottishStore
Tee mill shop (organic merch) - https://hippy-highland-living.teemill.com/
Membership via Substack -
Watch on YouTube with captions


Get full access to Sparkle on Substack at sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"The more personal I am, the more specific I am about my life, the more other people can see aspects of their own life reflected there.”


I was delighted to grab an hour this week with best selling memoir author Clover Stroud in the midst of her fourth book launch.
I wanted to talk with Clover about her writing craft, her recent wildly successful Substack launch and her upcoming book.
I ADORE Clover’s writing and I know lots of you will already be connected.
Her books and words are life affirming and show me the thread of fragility that runs through us all. Storytelling that unites us, feelings that ground us.
Clover’s words show us what’s real in our hearts. She gives us a zoom out button to press. We can feel impossibly small and also see the enormity of everything we adore in full technicolour all at once. When I read her work, gentle reassurance runs through my cells. It’s everything I need.
Clover’s 4th memoir, The Giant on the Skyline is about home, where we find it and how we connect to it within ourselves. The book is out on 8th May (next week)!!
“Home is a concept that has obsessed me since I was very small and homesickness is one of the emotions I can identify earliest as a child.”


Do pop over and subscribe to Clover’s incredible writing here on Substack and consider being a paid subscriber to receive her weekly essays;
There are 2 more days to save 35% on an annual subscription here at

🎙️ Timestamped podcast overview
00:00 Enthusiasm for book writing and the editing process.
04:03 Creating a secure and beautiful home for family.
07:57 Generous and unique storytelling on Instagram.
10:59 Passionate about Substack, evolving and expanding options.
13:22 Adjusting to new country life: complex and overwhelming.
18:37 Professional commitment and disappointment in subscriber culture.
22:46 Attention spans shortening, challenge in holding readers.
25:38 Writers find freedom in Substack's simplicity.
27:05 Aspiring to write, creativity, curiosity, and book promotions.
32:04 Growing interest in newsletters among publishers.
36:30 Setting up paywall for podcast, building community.
39:40 Husband describes intense memoir retreat experience.
41:27 Writing is becoming more creative.
45:44 Facing adversities, searching for unreachable mother, motherhood adventures.
48:31 Writing the books I needed to read.
51:21 Memoir is real, emotional truth is key.
53:53 Emotional appreciation for awakening and sharing gifts.
57:14 Encouraging Clover's beautiful work in future.
“Clover Stroud is a force of nature and a woman who is fearless in the face of life and death. A fearless explorer of the human heart, and a writer of incomparable grace and passion”.




Get full access to Sparkle on Substack at sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"We're in this really fast paced environment now where we're multitasking x100. When I look back to what my mum and my grandmother had on their shoulders and I look at the role that we have today I think it's because we know no different.
We've got these go faster stripes going, more, more, more. More input from the moment we wake up to the moment we're going to bed and I just worry about the state of our mental health moving forward.”
Tanya Lynch


Tanya and I met at the very start of both of our journeys on Substack in Spring 2022. I remember her original publication so well and the warmth of her connection.
I leant into her storytelling and we’ve stayed connected.
I was fascinated to learn more about Tanya’s Rage on a Page journalling work and retreats. We also talked about her process with Substack and I know you are all going to connect deeply with this episode.
While I’m here please do consider leaving me a 5⭐️ review on Apple Podcasts - it means the world to me and will mean that more folks can find the podcast off Substack. As you know this podcast is a passion project and I’m sharing everything I learn with you along the way.
There are limited spaces for Tanya’s popular Ease Retreats in 2024. Work with authors such as , Stacey Heale and in intimate rural settings capturing life affirming pockets of stolen time and tranforming your connection to creativity.
Writers retreats with brilliant authors in the tranquility of the UK Countryside:
"I do try and get as many people to Wales, to Cardiff or Pembrokeshire, because it is so beautiful."— Tanya Lynch

Places to connect with Tanya online;
* https://www.easeretreats.com/about
* https://www.instagram.com/easeretreats/
* Contact Tanya for retreat details - hello@easeretreats.com
If you’d like to watch our conversation from my coat cupboard (!) with captions feel free to do that here and subscribe to my YouTube channel while you’re there?
"I think the difference between Instagram and Substack is … we're all in cars on the motorway. With Instagram, traffic is always flowing.
If there's a queue, you may see, oh, there's a familiar face, or you'll go through a town and you'll see someone familiar.
But with Substack, it's almost like you've gone to a drive through movie and everybody's there to watch and participate in the same event. And you can see each other and there's a big warm glow and you maybe get out and have a chat and have a drink. There’s time."
Timestamped overview
00:00 Organising writing retreats with well-known authors.
03:48 Discussing goal setting, writing, and inspiration through Substack.
08:14 Empower women through 30-day word journaling.
11:54 Women find warmth and joy in play.
13:07 Space for self-expression, connection, and community.
18:34 Struggling with puppy challenges, seeking advice and understanding.
20:03 Memoir about raising dogs, finding companionship, business.
25:48 Retreats and big achievements can feel anticlimactic.
26:46 Embracing change and self-care brings peace.
30:44 Retreats focus on intimacy, rest, and fine-tuning.
35:26 Gorgeous content, challenging for writers on Substack.
38:54 Networking challenges in rural living, seeking support.
41:31 Creating mental images to explain malapropisms. Instagram vs Substack traffic metaphor.
43:22 Promoting travel to Wales and Oxfordshire countryside.
✨

I’ll leave you with a quote from Tanya; "I've got 100,000 tales to tell, and it's all beautiful things to talk about."



Get full access to Sparkle on Substack at sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

I'm not thinking about my neighbour down the street, but here on Substack, because of how it's designed, you do think about those type of things.
And at the moment, I think that the balance has maybe tipped because Substack has obviously got to sell itself and what’s ‘working’.
But it's like, ok let’s figure out, how I can be here and make this work for me?
Natalie Lue

It was a joy to reconnect with for the podcast. Natalie is a BRILLIANT writer and writes here on Substack.
Natalie and I met in 2019 at a brilliant event called Make and Mend Festival. I’m linking here and the lovely has a hand in organising if you want to connect in with their work.
Natalie’s career has been one of dedication and determination. She’s not afraid to tackle the tough stuff.
A ‘blogger’ for over 20 years and has gone down research rabbit holes many of us would be scared to even peek down. Natalie has brought new and important light to the tougher subjects.
She’s a published author, artist and podcaster and an all round amazing human. I’m honoured she made the time to impart some of her wisdom here… I’m really looking forward to your thoughts on our chat.
Her podcast The Baggage Reclaim Sessions saw Natalie record 278 podcasts. Listening to her depth of understanding of how the online world ‘works’ brought deep comfort to me.
"I'll be frank and I'll be honest, but I do it with compassion and with boundaries in the sense of I'm not going to tell a story and make myself out to be the hero, certainly not intentionally."
Natalie Lue

Places to connect with Natalie online;
* https://natalielue.com/
* https://www.instagram.com/natlue/
* https://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/the-baggage-reclaim-sessions-podcast/

If you’d like to watch our conversation with captions feel free to do that here;
00:00 Helping people reclaim themselves from emotional baggage.
09:30 Pride in past work and personal growth.
12:31 Revelations about personal life and boundaries.
18:06 Acknowledging vulnerability, shame, and overcoming judgment.
23:14 Acknowledge natural storytelling, intention, and resonance online.
28:50 Excitement about writing platform and valuing creativity.
37:32 Challenges with paid subscriptions, improved discoverability.
38:38 Substack community shift leads to online work.
43:49 Scheduling content to reduce mental strain.
54:02 Substack's design may not suit everyone.
58:16 Self-published author found success but wanted more.
01:04:03 Navigating creativity, self-expression, and publishing challenges.
01:11:09 Recognize the value in sharing creative work.
01:12:33 Substack encourages paywalls, sparks creative reflections.
✨

I’ll leave you with a quote Natalie opened with; “Who are the people you are seeking to serve and what is the change you’re seeking to make?” Seth Goodin



Get full access to Sparkle on Substack at sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

Hi all
I’m delighted to drop in two BRAND new PODCAST episodes…
This is my brief intro to the season celebrating two years on Substack and 7k subscribers. 🤩 ✨
To celebrate the podcast re-launch I’m offering 35% off when you join us a paid subscriber (member) for one year.

In this episode I recap on how my Substack publications have shaped and evolved over time. I also hone in on the recent trend of overwhelm and the move toward clarity on this platform. I talk about ‘calls to action’ and creating posts and honing a publication that’s right for us.
Watch the podcast here so you can see me walk through the three publications I host here…
Links/ spaces I mention;
* on Substack
*
* on Substack
* on Substack
* The Sound Circle by
* Money Mindset on Substack
* Join us this month in the Sparkle on Substack membership.
Thanks so much to for the super edits! ✨ My first guest episode with drops TOMORROW afternoon. It’s a smasher! ✨
How lovely it is that we can write a poem...
about the feelings we have about this sparkly space...
online...
together...
making it all up as we go along.
✨


Get full access to Sparkle on Substack at sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Eleanor Roosevelt.

Hi all,
WELCOME if you’re new here. I’m Claire and I write , co-host the community and teach Substack here at . I live on the Northumberland Coast with my husband, two children and 5 pet chickens. As the ground is warming up outside, I’m planting new seeds and observing those that have self seeded from our work over the past eight years here. A reminder that our creative projects can take time and that in other cases, some colourful bursts are gone as quickly as they arrived.
🌱
I wanted to record a podcast episode for you to wrap up SEASON ONE of the podcast. I’ve been on a steep learning curve with podcasting. I LOVE it as an art form and I’m so excited that it’s had way over 12k downloads… 🤩
This episode is an honest share of my ‘test and adjust’ strategy for growing my membership here. I feel slightly wobbly about it but my moto is;
If I can support and inspire just one person I’m doing a good job.
I am DELIGHTED to have you all here whether you’ve subscribed and share my work or if you’re a member of the Sparkle Gang. Doing this work with you is pure joy!
I hope this episode is of service to you and I’d love to discuss it further in the comments. if you have questions.
Season Two of the podcast will launch next month and I’m so delighted to share new guests and some solo episodes with you. The rest of the episodes are here if you missed any. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts and leave me rating and review there if you’ve enjoyed listening. Thank you to you all for your support and to all of my guests in season one - it’s been a TOTAL delight.
💕
Leonie Dawson, , , , , , ,, , and
💕
You can read the transcript of this podcast here or watch my YouTube video below…
Timestamped overview…
00:00 Trusting co-creation, offering opportunities, balancing needs.
04:40 Substack process was clunky but a learning experience.
07:54 Free online courses adapted to evolving platforms.
11:21 Non-time-sensitive offer, experiment with free trials.
15:47 Raised prices for community access…
18:34 Goal of 250 members reached, aiming now for 1000 in a soulful, sustainable way.
21:10 Paid posts for members, separate from subscribers.
23:53 Membership benefits and sales strategies discussed.
✨
Remember - if you’re keen to grow a membership/ your paid subs here I have a suite of focussed resources which is already helping people to do that work. It’s on SPECIAL offer here until the end of March. Substack works SO hard to help us grow in the background. I can’t stress enough how easeful the journey feels when you are in congruence with your creative voice here. Substack is a a new engine for culture, all creatives are welcome! We are making it work on our terms and transforming our working lives and income streams in the process.
Sending sparkles to you all and thanks again for listening, it means the world to me.
Claire
✨
PS - If you are still trying to figure out your Substack publication and your home here, I have a page with lots of FREE helpful links for beginners.
I’m also hosting a LIVE masterclass ‘Get Creative on Substack’ on 15 March at 12noon GMT (replay available) which you can purchase here or simply join as a paid member to access it live or on replay for free. It’s for people who are new to Substack or want to step out of overwhelm and are excited to try a renewed creative way to be here.



Get full access to Sparkle on Substack at sparkleon.substack.com/subscribe